The Shadow of a Grey Cloud
by Kuja Vessel
Summary: A remake of the story I had lost... About a 'Cloud' kunoichi that finds interest in Shikamaru and an insect kunoichi that interests Shino.
1. Introduction

_**Kumo Haiiro:**__ A deep, red headed kunoichi with gray eyes, creamy skin and wears a heavy gray battle dress filled with down and embroidered with rabbit's fur on the bottom, hood and collar, fishnet stockings and sleeves and snow boots to match the outfit. A strange Cloud ninja wear. Kumo doesn't like to exert herself to her full potential and spends her free time looking up at the drifting clouds. Her main chakra is only lightning, which is dangerous for her body. Her battle buddy is Nasha._

_**Nasha Mitsubachi: **__Possesses blackish hair with a purple tint and ghastly white skin, wearing a one-piece Mitsubachi Battle dress; black upper body with the lower body being a black short skirt with yellow ruffles. Black and yellow striped tights, leather heel boots and fish net gloves. Her main chakra is the mysterious poison chakra of her Clan. At first, she seems violent, cruel and just plain unresponsive, but once she gets to know you, she seems like Sasuke. Her eyes are a light purple and her Kekkei Genkai is 'Nashido's Curse' and the 'Dragons Eye'. She and her twin brother only know Nashido's curse since they were born Guardian Forces of their Clan. Every Mitsubachi member knows the Dragon's Eye that allows him or her to see: Chakra, scent, sound and poison. Her battle buddy is Kumo._

_**Soshou Hakura: **__Soshou has brownish hair, deep green eyes and is shorter than Nasha and Kumo. Her Clan has plant-like jutsu. Her teammates think of her as unreliable and sneaky, a teacher's pet and will not let her in their battle buddy system, which is something that Kumo made up for strategy battles. Soshou drifts off to her own thing, from time to time and seems to never be punished by their sensei._

_**Kuja: **__[Final Fantasy IX__villain__Kuja has silver white hair, creamy flawless skin, possesses a girlish body and dresses with an armor belly shirt, vest armor, a bulky thong with a billowing half skirt in the back, and thigh-high boots. Sound like a transvestite hooker? Well there's a reason for that… He's very vain and has become very strict ever since Kumo and Nasha made the battle buddy system of fighting._

**[Character analysis finished; Story start**

"Hey, Shikamaru!" Ino greeted. "Hey Chouji."

"Hey, Ino!" Chouji greeted back, then went back to munching on his chips.

"…Hey…" Shikamaru grunted.

"What's wrong, Shikamaru? You seem…. Distant." Ino asked, a little worried because Shikamaru never greeted her like that, before.

"It's because Kumo is coming back, this week." Chouji answered.

"It's been three years since she went to the Cloud Village…" Shikamaru said, looking up at the clouds that were drifting by, trying to clear his head. "Not once did she write me…" He was a little angered with this, since he spent most of his motivation in the past writing her a few letters.

"There has to be an explanation for that! I mean… You two were really cute together!" Ino said.

"We weren't going out, ok? We were friends."

"I'm just sayin'. She was the only girl in our grade that didn't drool over Sasuke! That has to be a sign!"

"I don't care…! All I wanna know is if she had changed these past three years, What kind of girl she is now… Then go on with my life!"

A team of young Cloud kunoichi were admitted into the Leaf Village. Their sensei, Kuja, had business to do with the Hokage.

"Girls," Kuja said. His voice was feminine-like and mellow. "I have to talk to the leader of the Leaf Village. It's very important, so I want you three to stick together and become accustomed to this village, because we'll be here awhile!" You could tell Kumo was excited to be back. When Kuja entered the building, Kumo and Nasha nodded to each other.

"Now, Nasha and Kumo, Kuja-sama said we should stick together, so we—" The two were gone in a flash. "—Stick…Together…"

Both Kumo and Nasha were laughing as they came to walking after that speedy getaway. Both of them were the fastest ninja, so far. Kumo had to, it was a 'Raimei' trait, Raimei meaning 'Thunder' but is a name given to the Guardian Force of Lightning Chakra. Nasha had been training her speed and chakra level ever since she was six, maxing both of them out.

"Hey, Queen Bee…" Kumo said. 'Queen Bee' is the code name given in the 'Battle Buddy' System.

"Yeah, Kamekazi?" Nasha's name given to Kumo.

"I wanna show you around the village. It's a fairly big place, so it should take a while."

"Why not… This place does look interesting enough."

Kumo and Nasha walked through the village, both of them being stared at by the Leaf village residents. The people were still bitter about the feud the Cloud and Leaf village had. Nasha ignored them but Kumo, being a former Leaf villager herself, was a little troubled. Nasha got out her poison purple lip gloss and applied it and dug through Kumo's pocket to hand her her strawberry gloss.

"If we're going to be stared at, let's at least look better than they do…" Nasha said, trying to make Kumo feel a little better. It sort of helped the matter.

"You're right…" Kumo sighed. "They must not remember me, oh well… They can stuff it!" The two went into a nice short cut alleyway. Another team of shinobi were heading their way as well. "Kiba…?" She questioned as the team got closer.

**[Chapter End**

_**Author's Note: **__This was just an introduction of the made up's… The next hundred chapters will be better!__Oh, and Battle Buddy System is the rough equivalent of the Ino-Shika-Cho team strategy. Nasha and Kumo never call their system 'Battle Buddy' BTW…They just call themselves their little nicknames when they're in this mode._


	2. The Lazy Bum

"Kumo…?" The one named Kiba questioned as well. "Well I'll be…! Kumo, you ol' tomboy, how are ya?"

"I've been as fine as I'm gonna be. Oh! This is my best friend, Nasha! She won't bite unless you provoke her." Kumo introduced Nasha to everyone: Kiba, Hinata and Shino. Hinata thought she looked scary, Nasha being dressed in a dark, yellow striped tight dress that the skirt reached up to the knees which were covered up with black and yellow striped tights, Eyes surrounded by thick black eyeliner and purple eye shadow and light purple lipstick. Nasha rarely smiled, her eyes looked almost evil with more bright purple in them. On top of that, her nails looked like light purple claws. Hinata hid behind Shino and watched Nasha's every move from afar. Shino didn't look all that amused. His clan had been enemies with the Mitsubachi clan for many years. His father warned him about Nasha's kind. On top of that, she was scaring poor Hinata! Shino was willing to protect Hinata from this demon.

"…Well, with that outfit on, she looks like a bumblebee!" Kiba commented, laughing. Nasha looked over at Kiba with a slight glare in her eyes.

"Yeah? And with that dog on your head, you look like a retard!" Nasha retorted back. Kiba growled. "And what's with your friend…? She looks like she's going to pass out behind the big Aburame guy."

"Hinata? Yeah, she's just a little shy around psychotic looking people." He smirked.

"You wanna go?!" Nasha was known to have a bit of a temper. She balled up her fists and put them up. "I'll take you down quicker than that mouth runs, boy!"

"Take it easy, guys!" Kumo held back Nasha and Shino looked like he was about to have the first attack in this fight. "Nasha, control yourself. You don't need to pound anyone who makes fun of you, much less looks at you… Kiba, I should warn you Nasha has a bad attitude and a violent temper. She won't attack unless you provoke her, though, just a warning." Kumo sighed when Nasha wasn't jerking around and let her go when all was calm.

"Kumo… What's his name?" Nasha pointed to Shino who was standing there waiting for Nasha to attack.

"Shino? I've seen him, from time to time when I was in school, sneaking into the boy's side to visit a certain someone… Shino is an Aburame clansman who likes to catch bugs and even has bugs living in him! His clan is some thing to be feared, Nasha. I wouldn't make enemies with people who willingly put parasitic insects under their skin. Why?"

"I know he's an Aburame… He looks like one and… Smells like one." Nasha's dull eyes were on Shino. "My clan and his have been rivals…. More so, enemies. My grandmother never said why, though. I believe neither side knows—"

"You know." Shino finally spoke up. "You should, at least… Your clan used to live here, long ago, your clan of monsters set up a castle-like mansion that is still rotting in your family's section to this day. The village couldn't afford to let loose a toxic mold plague upon the village, so there it stays. The reason your clan was kicked out was because they sold biological weaponry to the enemies of the Leaf Village. Anyone who willingly puts danger to the Leaf Village is an enemy to the Aburame clan…"

Nasha clapped, mockingly. "It's so nice to know that an entire clan believed such a rumor. You pinned that fictional story like a true grudge holder… My clan was framed! We sold no poison to anyone that could or would harm our home. We like to seclude ourselves in secrecy and protect the place we live. If your little clan knew of our logic and nature, one would question the reasoning."

"I've heard your clan is made up of nothing but demonic influence. My grandfather was a shinobi that faced one and lived to tell the tale. He said the Mitsubachi clan fights like demons from the bowels of Hell. Isn't that fact true?"

"Yeah…" Nasha looked away for a moment. "But we shouldn't fight unless challenged to do so. I understand my clan needs to be exterminated. In a few years… I don't want to know what will happen! It's not like I have clan pride like normal members would… I hate my clan! I want it to die and go back to Hell! "

"You shun your clan…?" Shino asked, but will get no answer. 'Even stranger… I feel no hostility from her.' He thought

"Oh, and tell your friend, ummm, Hinata that I won't…. Ummmm…. Whatever she thinks I'll do."

"Where do you think you're going…?" Kumo questioned.

"I'm going to see the old Beehive. You can come if you want… I just want to see what it looks like, probably even go in it." Nasha walked past Hinata and Shino to look for the Mansion.

"Ok. If Kuja's looking for either of us, let's let each other know. Send a Honeybee or I'll summon a small gray cloud." Nasha nodded and took off. "I guess I'll take off as well." Kumo smiled and waved. Kiba waved back when she left in a flash. He looked back to Shino who was looking in the direction Nasha went.

"Hey, Bug Man, what's wrong?" Kiba asked.

"That girl, Nasha… There is… Something strange about her. She wasn't like I imagined a Mitsubachi member to be like. They were always known for their hostile tempers, they are considered wasps disguised as honeybees. She emitted no purposeful or accidental hostility towards you when she looked like she was going to attack. She was only bluffing, or even… Playing."

"Are you nuts, Shino?! That chick looked like she was about to take off my head, earlier!"

"But did you sense anything?"

"No. And my instincts are as sharp as any animals. I think she was just bluffing! But why the analysis?" Kiba formed a smug grin on his face. "Does somebody have his first crush, Shino?"

Shino sharply turned around. "What are you talking about…? I have no feelings towards a… Mitsubachi member!"

Kumo stopped from her fast pace of running when she found Nara Park, home to many deer. It's been a while since she had been to this place. Kumo walked up to the Nara family's door and knocked. Shikamaru's mother answered. "Yes…? What do you want, little girl?"

"I-is Shikamaru here?" Kumo asked, a little shy.

The lady thought for a moment. "Kumo…? Oh, Kumo! It's been soo long since you came! Shikamaru's not here, he's a gennin now, so he's off with his team and sensei, training."

"Who is it dear…?" It was Shikamaru's father coming to the door.

"It's Kumo, Shika's girlfriend!"

Kumo looked like she just got shot. "Who told you that?"

"Oh, you used to always come down here, when you two were little. Always playing Shogi and Go together, going off to the hill and staring up at the clouds together, sometimes with his friend Chouji. You two were so cute together!"

"Grrrrreeeeaaaattttt……!" Kumo blushed with embarrassment.

"Now look at what your doin'… Embarrassing the poor girl." The dad said. "Shikamaru is not too far from here… It shouldn't be too hard to find him."

"Thank you, sir!" Kumo bowed and left this place in a flash; before Shikamaru's mother had anything else she had to say. She slowed down to a walking pace and started searching for Shikamaru who was now part of a team, to her surprise. She always figured that he was too lazy to pass the academy! 'Well, good for him!' Kumo thought, smiling to herself. After a while, she almost gave up the search until she spotted Chouji with Ino. Chouji had always been Shikamaru's childhood friend, in addition to being her friend as well.

"Oh my God…! It's Kumo!" Ino cried out, running to greet her. "How've you been? We didn't hear from you in a long time! Not even a letter…"

"Yeah, sorry… My sensei, Kuja wouldn't allow us to mail any letters, not even to family or friends. Where's Shikamaru?"

"Typical, you'd ask where that lazy bum was." Ino smirked. "He's playing Shogi with Asuma-sensei. Shikamaru is a little mad at you for not sending any letter. All we knew was that you were coming back by an announcement from the Hokage that a team of Cloud kunoichi was coming. We summed up the pieces and figured that you, being a former Leaf villager that moved to the Cloud Village, were a Cloud kunoichi. Now we know that it's true!" Ino smiled.

"Hey, Kumo. We missed you!" Chouji greeted. "You do know that Shikamaru is pissed at you for not writing, right?"

"I already told her." Ino said. "He's this way." Ino lead Kumo to a spot in the shade where, a bulky man with a beard, was playing Shikamaru to a game of Shogi, Japanese Chess. Shikamaru was staring intently at the game board, not noticing Kumo. Asuma looked up and said;

"Kumo! Long time no see. Shikamaru has been dying to see you, again." Shikamaru looked up when he heard Asuma speak to Kumo.

"Kumo…?" Shikamaru got up from his seat. He crossed his arms and made an annoyed look on his face. "Well there you are… No word from you in a little over three years and here you are; Right in front of my face."

"Like I could send letters… My Sensei is a real work of art. He wouldn't let me send even one letter!" Kumo explained.

"What about the phone…?"

"You honestly think the Cloud Village has phones…?" Kumo almost laughed. "The village is in the Land of Lightning! How smart would it be to plant phone lines in the Land of Lightning…?"

"Whatever…" Shikamaru had a pout on his face. "You owe me three years of playing Shogi and Go."

"Bring it on, Old Man!" 'Old Man' was Kumo's nickname to Shikamaru, since he reminded her of, literally, an old man by the sluggish way he acted and knowledge beyond his years.

"But… Right now, I'm in a middle of beating Asuma at Shogi, so you can stick around if ya want." Kumo looked at the board and knew Asuma had come into Shikamaru's strategic trap. Playing Shogi with Shika' for a while, made her an expert for facing an advanced player for the time they had spent. Her profession was Go. She beat Shikamaru at Go whenever they played. Both had an equal mentality.

"Yep. He's dead."

"I have yet begun to play!" Asuma said. When he made his move, Shikamaru countered, ending the game. "Awww, man… You won again…! Good game, Shikamaru."

"Ok, Kumo. Your turn…" The board was reset and Kumo sat down where Asuma sat.

"This looks boring…" Ino stated. "Come on, Kumo; After all this time apart, you'd rather play Shogi than talk about your experiences in the Cloud Village?"

"Should I…?" Kumo asked.

"How long ya stayin'…?" Shikamaru asked.

"As long as we take, I guess…"

"Then, fine. We'll walk around and talk." Shikamaru didn't like the thought of not sitting around and playing his favorite game.

**[Chapter End **

**Authors Note****: Most of the names of the made up's were found in a Japanese-English Dictionary. Kumo means 'Cloud', Haiiro her last name means 'Gray'. Nasha and Soshou was a mix of random syllables, but Mitsubachi means 'Honeybee' and Hakura was found in a Manga meaning 'Beautiful Flower'. Kuja is an FF9 villain I honor. **


	3. Clouds and Poison

Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji and Kumo were walking around the village, recalling their past experiences. Kumo didn't really contribute anything but what they asked. Kuja would probably kill her if she let loose any information on their training.

"… It was just boring without you guys! The Cloud Village is so boring, nothing interesting happens." Kumo said.

"I bet you know who Sasuke Uchiha is. I'm sure you remember him, the one all the girls drool over. And I know you remember Sakura Haruno… Well, that snake of a billboard brow pulled a fast one and was picked to be on his team!" Ino complained. Kumo snorted.

"I guess you can't win 'em all, huh, Ino." Kumo said. "But seriously… Why Sasuke? He's a depressed guy with a lot of problems on his shoulders. He's not even _that_ strong, either!"

"He's just too cool! Too cool for someone like _you_ to understand…!" Ino teased. "And he has gotten a lot stronger in the past few years, a lot more handsome, too!" She giggled. "I guess you just go for the Laziest of all Shinobi, don'cha?" Ino nudged Kumo in the shoulder with her elbow.

"Whatever… Why does everyone think we went out?!"

"You two did hang out a lot!" Chouji answered. "Heck, I was around for most of the hanging!" Shikamaru had a dull look on his face, like he was trying to tune out the conversation.

"This is so annoying…" Kumo complained. "I just thought it was boring on the girls side of the academy, so I went to the other side! I didn't think I'd meet some calm, collected guy that actually existed, unlike those energetic boys running around like they had something to prove." She looked to a random spot on the ground. "Plus… Flower arranging? What does that have anything to do with being a kunoichi?!"

"It's to bring out your creative, feminine side!" Ino said. "You did well in the girls class when you were actually there…!"

"I _am_ a girl! A girl shouldn't fail a girl's class…"

"All the girls called you a tomboy and made fun of you for going to the boy's side. They said you weren't a girl."

"I'm guessing the dress and the forming curves pointed that fact out, right?" Kumo smirked.

"When you were in the academy."

"Isn't that dress a little hot…?" Shikamaru wondered.

"It's a Cloud Village dress… The Cloud Village is in the mountains where it's a tad cold." Kumo answered.

"You're not in the Cloud Village, anymore."

"I have no other outfits…"

"I can give you one of mine!" Ino suggested.

"Thanks. I'm not sure I could fit into one, I mean… You actually have a little muscle. Kuja feeds us rice and tofu. The only protein we get is if we eat fish, here and there, or swallow a bug!"

"That's horrible! Pointing that out, you do look like you could use a good meal. Chouji, give her some of your chips!"

"Ch-chips…?!" Kumo almost drooled.

"What…?"Chouji questioned.

"You heard me! Kumo needs a little nutrients and fats! It's no wonder you're not dying in that outfit… You have nothing to self-warm you up!" Ino snatched a bag of chips and handed the bag to Kumo. Kumo ripped it open, took a chip and tasted it. Seeing that it was good, she ate the bag clean by the handfuls! "Feel better?" Ino smiled.

Anime tear streams flowed down Kumo's cheeks. "Yeeeeesssss!!"

"Geese! You must've not eaten in a week!" Shikamaru commented. "If you come over, my mom will make you a place at the dinner table…She always did. That was just sad…"

"Yeah! Go have dinner at your man's house!" Ino winked.

Shikamaru blushed. "Quit being annoying!" He protested.

"I'll see what I can do. Haven't been hanging at your place in a long time. Could be interesting…" Kumo said.

Nasha stood outside an old rotting mansion in the middle of an abandoned section of the village. Remembering what her grandmother said, there were treasures of ancestors hidden within the mansion.

"Who are you and what are you doing here…?" A boy said from behind Nasha. She turned around and saw a boy with black hair and mysterious looking black colored eyes. It was Sasuke Uchiha.

"I'm visiting the old Beehive. Why do you care?" Nasha answered.

"This was part of the Uchiha family section. I'm here to visit… Old memories." He had a suspicious glint in his eye to her purpose. "I still haven't got your name."

"First yours."

"Sasuke. Sasuke Uchiha."

"Mine is Nahsa. Nasha Mitsubachi. This place, from what I've heard, used to be my clan's section until we moved out."

"That may be, but I guess your clan didn't own this section anymore and my clan needed to expand." Sasuke thought for a moment. "Do you know what's in the building…? Every villager was prohibited to enter due to poison."

"My grandmother told me that there is a clan treasure hidden somewhere. I want to know what it is before my team leaves this village."

"You're one of the Cloud ninja…" Sasuke said, before she walked towards the entrance. She pulled off the boards that sealed the door. Opening the door, ghost-like streams of poison greeted her as she went in. Poison did not faze her, unlike any regular human. The poison chakra, her clan possessed, almost protected them from poison damage. In fact; her clan needed to have a large concentration of poison in their blood, as well as high levels of sugar, in order to survive their cursed chakra.

Inside the mansion was full of dust and, strangely enough, cobwebs of colonies of spiders. Nasha didn't think that anything, not even insects would survive in highly toxic environments. Sasuke went in with his shirt over his nose and mouth to filter the poisonous dust.

"What are you doing? You'll get seriously sick!" Nasha scolded.

"I'm curious to what's inside, as well." Sasuke said, simply.

"Well… If you cough up your lung or bleed from your eyes, it's not my fault!" She fore warned. The two wandered the house looking at the ancient trinkets left behind. The place could have been livable, if there wasn't the fact of toxic mold and poisonous dust in the air. Nasha and Sasuke went into the basement to find that there were poisonous mushrooms growing on the ground and on the walls. They seemed to glow green and purple in the darkness. "You better stay upstairs, Sasuke. I think these mushrooms shoot spores." Sasuke nodded and stayed put at the entrance of the basement. Nasha went down to the bottom, not meaning to step on the small mushrooms that grew on the floor, making a spore cloud that reached her ankles. Something caught her eye. A large chest with more mushrooms branching from it. Curious, she ripped off the soft little fungus, getting a face full of spores and sneezed loudly. The spores burned her nose and throat. Once all the mushrooms were off, she carried it upstairs. She didn't have much strength to her since she was dependent on her chakra and speed, but she got it up by herself. Nasha coughed hoarsely when she dropped the chest, hunching over to wheeze.

"Are you ok…?" Sasuke asked. "Let's get out of here. I'm feeling a little lightheaded…" Nasha was dragging the chest, but Sasuke lent a helping hand and they both carried the chest out. He understood that most girls didn't have much on upper body strength. "You should have worn a piece of cloth around your face. That cough didn't sound too healthy."

"I'm fine… It's not good to breath in toxic spores, though!"

"We need a key to open this…" Sasuke pointed out.

"Don't worry. I'll get it tomorrow."

"I'll keep the chest at my place. If you get the key, come by my apartment so we can open it."

"Ok, thanks. Don't try to bust it open, though. There could be all kinds of poison waiting to explode out!"

Sasuke smirked, almost a meaningful smile. "Don't worry about it…" The poisonous dust from the chest made his hands blister. Sasuke stared at his hands in horror.

"On second thought… The chest should stay in the mansion." Nasha dragged it back in and shut the door so the poison doesn't leak out anymore. "That rash should heal in a day or so… It's not so bad." She took out a jar of honey; Nasha carried many jars with her. She took the honey and smeared it all over his affliction. "Wash the honey off with hot water… It should dilute the poison and start healing your blisters." She licked the honey off her hand. Sasuke looked at his honey smeared hands, then at Nasha who was busy cleaning herself. For some reason, his eyes softened. From all the years of torment that made them cold, they warmed up. Nasha seemed strong for breathing in enough poison to kill an elephant in three minutes and her look made her seem like a brooding, troubled soul as he was. He just had to know if she was like him.

"What is your purpose in life…? Why have you become a shinobi?"

Nasha was taken by this question. "Why do you want to know…?" She had that grim tone in her voice.

"I want to know."

Nasha sighed. "My purpose is to be strong enough to defend myself from my family. If the opportunity arises, I want to be strong enough to kill the ones whom have caused me great pain. My purpose is to be a Guardian Force for the ones I care for. Nothing more than a tool for protection." The explanation was not what Sasuke expected, but it was similar to his purpose: An Avenger. Someone that seeks revenge for his brother's sin and the one who will protect the one he cares for.

"Your strength is not too impressive… How will you defend yourself if you're not strong?"

"I don't need physical strength. My weakness my lie in physical strength and not being able to take a punch so lightly… But what I lack in that category I make up for in chakra level and speed. Take away one or both, I'll go down. But that is rather hard to pull off! I have so much chakra, it's hard to drain it all!"

"Tomorrow… I want to fight you. Once my hands heal, we will spar to see where your skill lies."

"You're a strange boy, Sasuke. Your interest almost scares me. But I will accept your challenge." He smiled. "I guess I'll see you around." Nasha walked away. Sasuke made her a little nervous for some reason…

**[Chapter End**

**Author's Note****: I am in hate with Sasuke… But I go along with my character's nature and personality, so usually, unexpected things are typed that are totally against my own nature! **


	4. Chapter 4

As Kumo walked with Ino, Shikamaru and Chouji around the village, Kumo sensed something wrong. The further they walked, the more she sensed some strange power. Then she saw it: Soshou being confronted by Neji.

"Soshou!" Kumo called. Soshou and Neji looked to her.

"This doesn't look good, Kumo…" Shikamaru stated. "I hear Neji is pretty strong."

"But… That's my teammate! I have to help her… She could get hurt badly." Kumo rushed to the area.

"So… The traitor has returned." Neji said in his all-knowing tone. "You Cloud ninja shouldn't have come here. Your kind is not welcome in this village!"

"Hey…! I ain't no traitor and you know it!" Kumo said in outrage. "I had to leave. There was no other option."

"Will you defend your comrade, Kumo? I will show you no mercy, even if you are a girl."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Kumo smirked. Ino, Shikamaru and Chouji watched this reunion with anticipation and a reluctant obligation to step in if she needed help. Neji changed his eyes to his Byakugan, his family trait, and readied his attack. Kumo did the same, accidentally letting out a few sparks of electricity. Neji was a little taken by what he saw; Kumos chakra was nothing but pure electricity, a ball of lightning streaming throughout her chakra network. Neji was on his guard. "Well…? Are we going to do this?" Kumo challenged.

"I see you've changed these, past years Kumo." He stated. Kumo struck first, but Neji dodged it Kumo struck fast, but Neji was a little faster. Neji struck her with his family fighting style, 'Gentle Fist' that closes up chakra points to stop the flow of chakra, basically attacking the insides. She did not dodge. Neji hit her again and again until he felt safe from her strange elemental chakra. Something was happening. Neji saw Kumo's electric chakra surge throughout her network, forcing her chakra points open. No matter how many times he hit her with his Gentle Fist style, the points keep opening up! "What was that…? I thought you could hit harder than that!" She punched at him and he dodged again, but this time it was different. His body tingled, almost feeling numb. Kumo's electricity weakly shocked throughout his body. Neji took a step back, rubbing his arms to ease this feeling.

'What just happened…?' He thought. 'She barely touched me! And no jutsu was used. Is this the work of her chakra?' Neji decided to end this battle. He saw what he wanted to see. Plus, he felt the presence of his sensei and team nearing. "We'll pick up where we left off… My time is up." Kumo looked inquisitively at him. It was unlike Neji to just suddenly end a battle right in the middle.

"Come on! We just barely got started!" Kumo complained.

"There you are, Neji!" A voice called. It was Gai Sensei with Tenten and Rock Lee, Neji's team. "I thought I could trust you to not bother the Cloud ninja while they stay! I expected more out of you."

"It won't happen again, Gai sensei…" Neji said.

"I'm sorry, ladies… Neji is a little high-strung. He won't bother you girls anymore."

"Thank you, sir." Kumo said, bowing. "It was no problem, really!" Gai sensei gave Kumo and Soshou a sparkly smile and thumbs up before he left with his students. Kumo and Soshou each released a sigh of relief.

"What the hell was that all about…?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yeah, fighting Neji like that…" Ino said.

"It was almost like you two were evenly matched!" Chouji stated.

"I guess I caught him on one of his bad days…!" Kumo said, modestly rubbing the back of her head.

"Whatever…" Shikamaru said. "As long as you weren't hurt, everything's fine, I guess…" Ino smirked at Shikamaru's comment which said to her that he likes Kumo. All of the sudden, the air around them seemed dense, like an ominous storm was approaching.

'Oh, no…' Kumo thought. 'He knows.' She looked to Soshou who was panicking because she sensed him, too. 'Why didn't Nasha warn me…? I should warn her if she didn't see him…' Kuja appeared behind Soshou with Nasha carried by her waist in one arm of his, dangling helplessly in defeat. Kuja didn't look too happy with his team. Ino, Shikamaru and Chouji stared in awe at the man who looked like a woman.

"Ummm… Who's the angry stripper lady holding the gothic girl…?" Shikamaru asked.

"I'm a man…!" Kuja's voice seemed like ice and cut through the soul deeply. He sounded manlier when he was angry. Kuja dropped Nasha on her belly and stared menacingly at Kumo. "You… And Nasha will be punished—"

"What about Soshou?!" Kumo exclaimed in fear and in outrage.

"Both of you left her alone! You neglected your teammate, fought irresponsibly with a Hyuuga member, and now you're questioning me and my judgment?!" Nasha looked at Kumo with the glint in her eyes that told Kumo she had had enough. Kuja stridden towards Kumo, grabs onto her hair to drag her with him and picked Nasha back up and teleported away with Soshou.

Ino, Shikamaru and Chouji stared at the spot where the girls disappeared, in shock.

"Where the… Hell did they go…?" Shikamaru wondered.

"T-that man… Did you see how scared Kumo was?" Ino stated. Chouji looked like he was having a stomachache.

'I hope she'll be ok…' Shikamaru thought.

**That night…**

Kumo and Nasha were recovering from their punishment. Their backs felt the horrible wrath of Kuja with his bamboo rod cracking against it. When Kuja was gone with his business, Nasha and Kumo planned another escape this night, a night to explore and do their own thing…

Shikamaru couldn't sleep. It was ten o' clock at night and surprisingly he's not asleep. There he lay, staring at the ceiling, thinking about her… He looked out the window at the full moon that was out tonight.

'I hope Kumo's ok…' He thought, sighing. Shikamaru closed his eyes to get to sleep. He was getting annoyed at Asuma-sensei's complaining. Just as his mind was starting to relax, there was a knock on his window. "What a drag…" He muttered, peaking out his window once more. It was Kumo peaking into his room. "Kumo…?" Shikamaru opened his window. "Are you crazy? What are you doing here…?" His voice was in a harsh whisper.

"Sorry I didn't come for dinner…"

"Dinner? Why would you worry about a thing like that…?" Shikamaru's voice was in his normal tone. "I thought your crazy sensei killed you!" Kumo climbed through the window onto his bed, sitting on her knees.

"It wasn't that bad… It happens all the time! Or when we do something bad…"

"You had us worry, girl…" Shikamaru embraced her, touching her sore, stinging back. Kumo held back her pained whimpers and tears.

"Sorry…" She breathed out. "I guess I'll have to visit Ino and Chouji so they know I'm all right…" As she was ready to spring out the window, Shikamaru grabbed her wrist, stopping her escape.

"They'll be fine…" He said, smirking. "You still owe me A few years worth of Shogi and Go." He wasn't tired now that she was here.

"You wanna play Shogi in the middle of the night?!" Kumo smiled. "You're not living up to your reputation as the 'worlds most laziest ninja'!"

"Like I care… You wanna play or not?" His voice had his usual annoyed tone.

"Fine… But I move first."

Nasha roamed the village, drawn by the silvery glow of the moon. She wanted to find the most perfect spot to view this mysterious, guiding source of light. Nasha could recall the many times she viewed the moon with her grandmother…

Her search led her to a house, a house with a strange pull on her soul. Her semi-superior sense of smell picked up a familiar scent. She sensed no threat, concluding that the place was asleep. She jumped up on the roof, being careful not to make a sound, and sat there staring up at the sky.

Inside the house; Shino woke up. He realized that the crickets weren't chirping. Something disturbed their nightly melody. He put on his sunglasses [for some odd Aburame reason…, and climbed out his open window, so he wouldn't disturb his father. Outside, he scanned the area for anything strange. He looked to the ground then up to the roof, seeing a silhouette of a figure sitting, intruding on his clan's property. Shino used his advanced ninja skills to appear on the rooftop to confront this intruder. To his surprise, it was the Mitsubachi girl he had just met this afternoon. She seemed mesmerized by the sky for some reason.

Nasha sensed she was not alone. She turned her head to see Shino investigating why she was here, in his blue dragonfly print pajamas. It looked like he would release his parasitic chakra-eating insects on her, so she stood up to defend herself. "I'm sorry… I didn't know this was your place…!"

"What are you doing here?" He asked, ready to defend his home.

"Well… I wanted to see the moon. This place has the best view in the village." Nasha pointed to the moon. "I wanted to be here until the sun rises, but I will leave if you want me to."  
"You lie…" He accused.

"No, really! I… Ummm. Whatever…" It was none of his business. The truth of the matter is that she used to gaze at the moon with her Grandmother, Kakajou, back when she was still alive. They had the same great view that this place had. "I'm not lying… I swear on my respective insect, if that means anything." Her tribe reveres the honeybee as their soul purpose of life. I if they swear on this, their word is always true.

"How is it that I trust you? You're part of a clan of demons, yet show little hostility."

"I was raised better… You can stand there all night, I won't sleep. I'm an insomniac."

"Just my night…"

Nasha sensed his calmness, so she sat back down. After a while, Shino joined her. He sat next to her and tried to see what she saw. Nasha's sense of smell was almost equivalent to that of Kiba's. Shino's scent and his stoic, introverted nature calmed her. Not emotionally, though. Her eyes drooped and her body was growing numb with tire. She hadn't slept in weeks; she had met plenty of mysteriously unemotional shinobi in her time and yet why is this moment different? Her clan was afraid of the Aburame clans potential to wipe the Mitsubachi clan out of this life, but Nasha harbored no fear of Shino. Nasha's eyes drooped and she was nodding off.

"'Insomniac', huh…?" Shino mocked. Nasha was starting to lean on him. Shino gently pushed her upright, but in vain. Once Nasha fully succumbed to slumber, Shino sort of held on to her when her body threatened to fall to the other side. She clutched on the chest of his pajama shirt with one hand and the other was wrapped around his arm. Shino was in an awkward position. Here he had his clan's enemy on his arm, sleeping soundly as if she hadn't had a year of sleep, and with nowhere to put her. He didn't know her, nor trusted her to bring her inside. He carried her off the roof and laid her at the base of a tree. Shino rushed off and came back with a pillow and blanket for her to use for the night…

In the morning, before his father woke up, Shino went out to wake his unwanted guest, but found only a folded up blanket and the pillow on top. Nasha was gone. As for the same with Shikamaru, Kumo was gone by sun-up, to his dismay.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note**_: Sorry for keeping you all waiting… There has been zero time for Naruto, for some reason… I dunno! Yes, the chapters are short since I can only type so many words before I hit the 2k limit! It's strange… Me: Kuja, incorporating Sasuke Uchiha as a love interest for one of my successful character, Nasha. She's my favorite, her character made it's way to my Avatar: The Last Air Bender fanfic! Oh, and here's a spoiler hint: Another character I don't like will be infatuated with Kumo, later in the story…! Oh, well thanx for the support and thank you to Sunshinelexi! Later._

Chapter start 

Nasha trudged, half asleep from this rare occurrence. Literally, nothing could tranquilize her to sleep. Luckily she woke up before her nightmare would have a chance to haunt her that night… Nasha met up with Kumo and Soshou at a corner.

"Mornin'" Kumo greeted groggily to Nasha. Nasha grunted her greeting.

"Were you out drinking, young lady?" Soshou asked, scolding.

"I don't drink… Much… And I'm just as old as you!" Nasha snapped. "I fell asleep…"

"What?! You never do!" Kumo exclaimed.

"I know. I don't know how it happened, but… It was as if my body just shut down. I was lucky to wake so early…"

Kuja casually walked to his team of kunoichi. "Good morning, girls…!" He greeted, merrily. "How are your backs, Kumo, Nasha?"

"Just peachy…" Kumo answered, bitterly. Both Kumo's and Nasha's back still stung with the welts of Kuja's wrath.

"Good to hear. While you have been dilly-dallying with your little human friends, I have been busy locating the ninja who harnesses chidori. That move will complete a third of your training, Kumo. That ninja's name is Kakashi. I am still in the progress of gaining his cooperation… I want you girls to keep training, 'til then. I have errands to run." Kuja walked away.

"Wait!" Soshou called. "What are we supposed to do until then?"

Kuja turned around. "Whatever your heart pleases… Yet, be productive. Tata!" He left.

Soshou turned to Kumo and Nasha. "I want us to stick together. I'm tired of trying to find you both!"

"Hey! I got my own life to trudge with… I'm not walkin' with you…" Nasha said with a scowl.

"Where are you going, then?" Kumo asked.

"Not with Soshou." She smirked, walking her own way.

"Fine… See you whenever!" Kumo waved her goodbye. "Come on, Soshou… I guess Nasha's in one of those moods." Kumo left and Soshou followed. The two walked all the way to the Ichigo Ramen place to get a bowl of some home-style ramen. Kumo got the chicken teriyaki and Soshou got the vegetable ramen.

"Well… Fancy meeting you here!" Ino said. She, Shikamaru, Chouji and Asuma-sensei were there for breakfast. Chouji wanted to have a big breakfast to start the day. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing. We just got a little discipline, nothing more."

"That's good, I think…" Ino patted her on the back, causing Kumo to flinch. Chouji sat there, slurping on bar-b-que pork ramen. Shikamaru stared at Kumo, blankly. Kumo stared back with equal vacancy. She wondered what he was thinking, yet nothing came to mind. Ino analyzed their staring contest until she suddenly spoke.

"Are you two gonna kiss, or what?" Ino teased.

"How troublesome…" Shikamaru muttered, looking away.

"Come on, Kumo! Go out with Shika." Ino persuaded. "I think he likes you!"

"Shut up!" Shikamaru hid his blush by assuming sleeping position.

"Pah-leaze! Shika doesn't like girls, right?" Kumo stated. Shikamaru groaned with embarrassment. Kumo and Ino poked him. "Shikamaru…?"

Shikamaru got up from his seat. He couldn't take this pressure anymore. He had mixed feelings about Kumo. To him, her looks could improve. She was way too skinny, like Ino, and seemed to try too hard with her looks by splashing some makeup on her face, not that it was applied heavily; he just liked a sensible girl of average quality. Like Ino, she is a bit too above average for his tastes. Yet his heart beats for her. Shikamaru never felt this way towards her before she left and it's driving him crazy. He walked away to be free from this feeling. Chouji instinctively followed his best friend, but not without his ramen.

"What's wrong with Shikamaru…?" Ino asked. Kumo wondered the same thing.

Asuma knew what was going on. "Don't worry, girls. Shikamaru is growing up! And part of growing up is having to face challenges that life throws at you."

"I guess your right." Kumo sighed.

"Hey! Wait up, Shikamaru…!" Chouji called out. He caught up to Shikamaru who was quickly walking to a safe distance. "What was that all about…?"

"Nothing. I just don't get girls…"

"What's there to get? You know how they are."

"Yeah… But, it's weird how they get to you; like they have some hold on us, ya know?"

"I get ya. But why are you acting weird all-of-the-sudden? I didn't think girls phased you as much."

"It's Kumo, man…! She just got so… I don't know… She changed. She became more like a girl than I would have normally pictured her."

"Sooo…. What's the problem?"

"It's strange, Chouji… I think I like her. But the thing is: She's not my type."

"What do you mean?"

"It's her looks. She looks just like every other girl that wants to look attractive. Plus, her weight could be a little better…"

"I think she's pretty. I wouldn't know why you don't…"

"I don't want pretty. I want a girl that isn't obsessed with appearance, someone that has some intelligence, a girl I can handle. Sure, I don't want someone ugly, but I don't want pretty, either. You get what I'm saying?"

"I guess so…" Chouji slurped on his ramen. Shikamaru sighed.

"You'll understand sooner or later." He smiled. "You gotta return that bowel, by-the-way."

"Yeah, you're right…" Chouji finished the last of his ramen. "We better get back before Ino starts to worry!"

"Whatever. The only thing I'm worried about is both her and Kumo worrying…! I hate a bunch of worried girls, it's annoying." The two boys went back to the ramen place. Shikamaru looked around. "Where's Kumo?"

"She left, thanks to you!" Ino said, scolding him.

"What do you mean, 'my fault'? What did I do?"

"You stormed off without an explanation! She probably thinks it's her fault that you're acting so weird!"

"Whatever… Which way did she go…? I wanna talk to her."

"Kumo went that way with her teammate." She pointed left down the street. "She can't have gone too far."

"Thanks… Asuma, I'm going to be a little late for training."

"It's understandable." Asuma said. "Just be back as soon as you can, and you better not slack when you come to the training grounds!"

"Whatever, see ya!" Shikamaru ran off to catch up to Kumo.

**Meanwhile**…

Nasha was at the training grounds for reasons of her own. She made a series of hand signs to create a beehive and planted it inconspicuously on a tree, near by. She gathered her special honeybees and had them cluster into the hive. Nasha heard a team coming her way, so she used a teleportation-jutsu to hide somewhere.

"…Don't train too hard, Hinata. The last time, you had to postpone your training to let your hands heal!" Kiba said. The team with Hinata, Kiba, Shino and Kurenai-sensei had arrived for their training. Kiba's dog, Akamaru sensed Nasha's chakra. "What is it, Akamaru?" Akamaru barked and whined, telling Kiba. "Looks like we're not the only one here, guys."

"What is it, Kiba?" Kurenai-sensei asked.

"Akamaru said it smells like that creepy girl from yesterday." Kiba stated. Shino was now alert and Hinata was on guard. Nasha sniffed her arm, relenting her own sweet, poisonous scent. "And that's not all…! There's a couple strange shinobi near by…" Kiba was ready for an attack. All of the sudden two Grass ninja popped out of the shrubbery.

"We're here for Lady Hinata." One said. He looked a little tough, a special jounin from the looks of it. Kurenai got in front of Hinata.

"What's your prupose for Hinata?!" Kurenai demanded an answer.

"The Byaakugan." All three jounin were ready for battle. The three genin were ready to defend themselves.

'Ah, mannn… Hakura clansmen…!' Nasha thought. The two Grass Ninja rushed at Kurenai, but as they were about to strike, Nasha let loose purple needles from her fingertips to stop the ninja. The needles melted into the ground where they hit. Every shinobi on the field turned to look at the place where the strange needles came from. The ninja saw purple eyes glowing in the shadows, then disappeared with another teleportation-jutsu, then reappeared on a punching stump sitting with her legs crossed and a chain whip in her hands. She stared down at the unwanted Grass ninja.

"Who the hell is that?" The ninja's partner wondered.

"It's a Mitsubachi clan member… I know that clothing anywhere! Take her out!" The two ninja threw kunai at her. Nasha shot them down with her whip with a barrage of cracks and strikes. Nasha slid off of the stump, running at an incredible speed. She struck the nearest ninja with her whip, a deep cut appeared on his arm.

"I'm poisoned!!" Nasha knocked him over and was on top of him, raising the kunai on the tip of her whip over her head to finish the job. His partner finally hit her with his weapon, but something was wrong. The Kunai that was stuck on her, the wounds poured a watery, purple substance. The Nasha melted all over the guy and the liquid seared his skin. The guy wailed and rolled around on the ground in pain. The real Nasha was behind the other. Her fingers glowed purple. When he turned around, she struck him in the middle of his chest making him fall to his knees, vomiting painfully.

"Get out of here!" Nasha ordered. There were more of her clones present. The first ninja got up, shaking and clutching his chest. She cracked her whip on his butt, making him jump and move quicker.

"This isn't over…! You broke the clan agreement!" He helped his partner up. The guy was horribly burned, his face was distorted by the acid poured on him. The two ran off.

"That was easy… They must have been rejects."

"Thank you, I could have handled them, but who are you?" Kurenai asked.

"Nasha. It was nothing, the Hakura clan is annoying. That wasn't any fun, as I thought it would be."

"Hey! I thought I smelled a bumblebee!" Kiba said. Hinata was still frightened of her, not because of the way she looked, but because of the method Nasha used to get rid of the Grass ninja that were after her. The Acid clones of Nasha went away.

"And I thought I smelled dog breath coming this way!" Nasha retorted back. "Listen, I'd love to spend time with you guys, but I gotta go. I have stuff to take care of…" Nasha started to walk past the team of Genin.

"Th-thank you, Nasha…" Hinata said. Nasha looked at her.

"If there's anything you need, I guess I'll come by." Nasha sped off.


	6. Chapter 6

Battledragon books (can find on eBay)

'I wonder what has changed these past years…' Kumo thought, walking casually through the village. She was in her own little world, now. Looking around, Kumo saw the children playing ninja and play battles.

It was all fun to them, yet for a real ninja as, Kumo is, battle was not her thing. She saw it as nothing more than unnecessary wounds for the opponent as well as her allies. She also saw Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura seeming to wait for someone.

'I wonder if things have changed with them…' Kumo walked over to the team of genin. "Hello!" Her hand was up in greeting.

"Kumo…? Is that really you?" Sakura said, almost excited. Sakura had known Kumo from the academy since her and Ino were friends. "Oh, wow! I haven't seen you in forever!" Sakura got up to meet her long lost friend face to face.

"Yes. We finally meet for the first time in forever." Kumo smiled slightly.

"Why are you talking like that? You always used to be so… Tomboyish!"

"Oh, wow! It's really you!!" Naruto rushed into the reunion. "Where have you been?! It's been three years!"

"Uh, umm… I've been sent to the Cloud Village because I had nowhere to go and a man named Kuja took me in. Much has changed since then, like mannerisms and skill level. Has anything changed here, so far?"

"Nah! Well… Yes, actually!" Sakura started. "We're all ninja, now! Surprisingly, Naruto even passed. Well, anyway, I'm on a team with Sasuke!" 'Sasuke' was said with a squeal. "But I'm stuck with _Naruto_ as a partner as well… Oh, well. I can't complain… We _did_ make it past our first real mission alive!"

"First… Real mission?" Kumo questioned.

"Yeah! It was a really tough one, too!" Naruto said. "We had to protect a bridge builder from some huge assassin named Zabuza and his partner, Haku. They both died, but at least I hope they're happy where they are…"

"You guys killed Zabuza?! No way!"

"No. Kakashi-sensei could have defeated him, but Zabuza's boss hired more warriors to take him down. Zabuza was too weak to defend himself." Sakura stated. "But he took out that evil tyrant. Everyone in the Mist village drove away the army of warriors no problem!"

"We all got stronger since that mission!" Naruto said.

"I can tell!" Kumo said.

"Naruto is still a loser, though…" Sasuke added. Kumo almost laughed, suppressing it. "What about you…? Why are you here all-of-the-sudden?"

"It was my sensei's idea, not mine. Your guess is as good as mine." Kumo said. Sasuke could sense that she was hiding the true reason; he wasn't as clueless as Naruto or Sakura. An awkward silence over-fell the group until suddenly…

"There you are!" Shikamaru said. "I've been looking for you for about an hour!"

"Shikamaru!" Kumo gasped, happy that he came. "I haven't even been gone for thirty minutes!"

"Who cares? Let's just go somewhere. Ino thinks it's my fault that you left so quickly." He and Kumo started walking.

"Bye. Nice talking to you!" Kumo said, waving. Naruto and Sakura waved and said their good byes, watching as the two left together.

In silence, Shikamaru and Kumo walked. The two enjoyed the peace between them.

"Kumo…" Shikamaru broke the silence. "Do you think that we would be…? What I'm trying to say is… Oh, never mind! This is so troublesome…"

"I think I know what you're trying to say. We would still be friends up to this day." In all truth, Shikamaru made no sense. He was acting awkward ever since she got back. Shikamaru stopped abruptly, as did Kumo. He looked up at the sky in thought, and then looked at Kumo, dully.

"For years I've waited for you… You were one of my close friends like Chouji and now that you've finally come back, it's disappointing to see how much you have changed. I should have known that once you get older, you would change into a _girl_." He pouted, making him look more like an old man.

"You say that like it's a bad thing! Plus… I thought you would appreciate a little extra effort!"

"Yeah… For other men to gawk at you!" Shikamaru said, in a surprisingly bitter tone, which made Kumo look at him strangely. Shikamaru stooped his head in embarrassment.

"What are you talking about…?"

"Never mind… Sorry."

"What's wrong with you?"

"Kumo… I… Like you… A lot. You were and still are the only girl that can even survive a few minutes with me at Shogi. You're smart and not really that annoying like other girls. You just need a little extra meat on your bones is all. What are you on, a fad diet?"

Kumo blinked. "You… _Like_ me?!" She turned pink.

"Well, _yeah_!" He said it like it was obvious, like the fact was right in front of her face. Shikamaru was bright red, feeling so embarrassed for practically spilling his feelings out.

'Awww, man!! I can't go out with Shikamaru while Kuja is still my sensei!' Kumo thought, drooping her head in a depressing state. 'Who knows what would happen!'

"If ya don't want to, that's fine…" He said, starting to feel more awkward by thinking she would say 'no'.

"No, no! I'd love more than anything to be your… Ummm… It's just that my sensei… He doesn't want any of us to date anyone. You've seen what he's capable of!"

"Jeeze! He's _that_ type of sensei?"

"You mean tyrant!" Kumo smirked. "I do like you too, by-the-way. Maybe when we grow up and become chuunin or even jounin we could hook up!"

"Yeah, whatever." The thought sort-of cheered him up. "I hope you come by and visit for dinner. My mom has been nagging me to invite you over!"

"No kidding? Well, consider it done! I'll be there this time!" Shikamaru smiled.

"Chouji'll be coming around later. We can hang with him when he shows up."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Feeling a sort of victory overwhelm her, Nasha walked briskly.

'It was surprisingly easy…' She thought. 'Did the grass village run out of formidable shinobi to capture that Hyuuga girl? They seemed genin level…'

Nasha was so far in thought that she never noticed that the team she just helped caught up with her.

"Wait!" Nasha stopped and turned around seeing Kiba, Hinata, Shino, and Kurenai-sensei right behind her.

"Your name is Nasha, correct?" Kurenai asked. "I am Kurenai. I would like to thank you for defending Hinata."

"I didn't even have to do anything… All I did was scare those _rejects_ away." Nasha explained.

'I bet they booked it because I'm a Mitsubachi clan member…' Concluding within her thoughts.

"Whatever you did, we're grateful."

"You're very strong…" Hinata stated, timidly. Nasha blinked.

"No I'm not." Nasha said. "Any one of you bastards can take me on! I'm about as weak as they come when it comes to strength and defense." She looked at Shino whom was looking back. "I have my weaknesses… As do you." Saying it to no one in particular.

"You're from the Mitsubachi clan, correct? This village has a record of your clan staying here. Your people were a mysterious kind." Kurenai said.

She was sort of curious about this clan. It has been rumored to have hidden techniques, like the Hyuuga clan, that only members know. The 'poison chakra' abilities were yet to be fathomed by others.

"Nothing mysterious to know…" Nasha stated. "My clan has poison chakra, the kind of chakra that eats away at the opponents chakra when infected. The only way to negate the effects is to poison the opponent with regular poison. It's confusing… But the poison chakra can stay as a regular functioning chakra if there's poison to stabilize it, yet if there is too much poison, than you can poison yourself… Too less poison, than the chakra burns out, leaving the person immobile to dead. Same with Mitsubachi members… My people aren't that special! Just driven insane by all the poisons and venom that flow through our bodies, burns through our veins and melt our minds. That is one reason why we are rumored to be demons… Other than our looks… Answer any of your questions?"

"Please! You don't look half bad, for another bug nerd!" Kiba stated, snickering. Neither Nasha nor Shino looked too thrilled with that comment.

"I won't bother to dignify your reasoning with a comeback…" Nasha stated, turning around to leave.

"Wait. There is still so much I want to know. Your people have been classified as a threat to the village, yet here you are, a civilized girl that wouldn't hurt a fly." Kurenai said.

"Maybe it's due to the fact that some freak spread a rumor that we were selling biological weaponry to enemy and rival nations." Nasha flung to face them. "My grandmother told me that the Leaf Village thought that the Mitsubachi clan sold poison to warring nations against the village, but… It makes no sense!" Nasha sounded outraged.

"I mean… My clan is more family oriented than what you people think! We would never put our home in jeopardy for any reason, no matter what. My clan will stick by our alleys, our alley's family and our own with blood and poison by our side… Don't believe me if you wish, Aburame boy… But the Mitsubachi way is about solidarity as a whole." Shino absorbed this information, registering in his mind what a Mitsubachi was and has been as opposed to what he had learned by his family members.

"So your people mimic the honeybee…" Shino said, coming to that conclusion. "The poison throws off rival clans, but as a theme insect clan you pull no punches. As a honeybee clan, your fighting styles must be more powerful in groups of your own kind… Yet you're alone, I take it."

"Nothing gets past you, I see… Well, that is true, but since my clan is poison dependent, we can take down opponents around twice our strength, if their strategy and evasiveness is low, by poisoning them. It's that simple."

"But… It makes no sense. Why poison? Why act almost exactly like a honeybee? Not even my clan is that dedicated… My clan does not suck chakra just because our insect is a chakra parasite."

"Not even I know most of the logic of my own clan…" She scowled. "I mean… We're supposed to be family oriented, but when I visited the Poison Tribe of the clan in the Mountain Nation…an out-crop called the Village of Sickness… It was like they all were separated into gangs, fighting each other until death arises." Nasha sat down on the ground, thinking about the experiences that she had faced and the horrors she had seen in the Village of Sickness.

"A-are you okay…?" Hinata asked. Hinata went up and knelt down beside her.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You don't look so good." Kurenai stated.

"I said I'm fine!" Nasha snapped. "Geeze! You people are persistent!" Nasha snarled almost like a beast. She sensed Kumo's presence getting closer.

'Finally!' She thought, and then sensed someone staring at her.

"What?!" She looked at Shino; Shino was still analyzing her at a distance.

"Nasha! There's my Queen Bee!" Kumo said happily, getting close to the group of ninja.

"Kumo! Thank every god you're here… I'm crowded!"

"Well, if you weren't acting weird!" Kiba stated.

"If everyone would mind their own damn'd business!"

"This girl is a work of art…" Shikamaru muttered.

"What did you say, boy?!" Nasha's rage was going up.

"Okay… I think someone needs to boost their blood sugar!" Kumo interjected, getting Nasha up and going.

"I don't need sugar! I need a mallet!"

Kumo dug out a jar of honey, opened it up and handed it to Nasha. Nasha's honey sense tingled and she began to chug the jar of honey like it was water. At last, the raging demon was mellow, licking at the sides of the jar.

"Low blood sugar…?" Kurenai muttered.

"I'm guessing it's a family trait…" Kumo stated. "You stayin' Nasha?"

To Hinata, Nasha reminded her of Pooh bear, the sweet innocent bear fixated on honey. She watched as half of the girl's face was covered with the honey container.

"You're lucky you don't have diabetes…" Kumo muttered. She started to walk away with Shikamaru, waving goodbye at the team. Nasha soon followed behind, with the container still on her face.


End file.
